Tasman Series
Encyclopedia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, and named after the Tasman Sea
Tasman Sea
The Tasman Sea is the large body of water between Australia and New Zealand, approximately across. It extends 2,800 km from north to south. It is a south-western segment of the South Pacific Ocean. The sea was named after the Dutch explorer Abel Janszoon Tasman, the first recorded European...
between the two countries. The Tasman Series races were held in January through to late February or early March of each year, during the Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
off season, taking advantage of winter in the Northern hemisphere to attract many top drivers to summer in the south.
From 1964 to 1969 the Tasman Formula specified open-wheel single-seater racing cars similar to Formula One cars, yet retaining F1 engine rules that were in effect until 1960. Thus, engines of 2500 cm³ that were obsolete for the contemporary Formula One class were eligible for the Tasman Formula. After F1 upgraded to 3000 cm³ in 1966, the Tasman Formula regulations continued to specify a 2500 cm³ limit for another four years. Usually, the chassis of the previous F1 season were fitted with "Tasman" engines, and entered "down under". In what many consider Tasman's zenith season, 1968, Cosworth
Cosworth
Cosworth is a high performance engineering company founded in London in 1958, specialising in engines and electronics for automobile racing , mainstream automotive and defence industries...
even produced a Tasman variant of its legendary DFV
Cosworth DFV
The DFV is an internal combustion engine that was originally produced by Cosworth for Formula One motor racing. Named Four Valve because of the four valves per cylinder, and Double as it was a V8 development of the earlier, four-cylinder FVA , making it a Double Four Valve engine...
V8, known as the DFW, and BRM
British Racing Motors
British Racing Motors was a British Formula One motor racing team. Founded in 1945, it raced from 1950 to 1977, competing in 197 Grands Prix and winning 17. In 1962, BRM won the Constructors' Title. At the same time, its driver, Graham Hill became World Champion...
equipped its cars with a reduced capacity version of their F1 V12
V12 engine
A V12 engine is a V engine with 12 cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of six cylinders, usually but not always at a 60° angle to each other, with all 12 pistons driving a common crankshaft....
. Unfortunately for the Tasman Series, F1's "return to power", coupled to ever increasing costs, reduced the cachet of its Antipodean sister and after 1968 teams became increasingly unwilling to invest significant funds into what many perceived as a lesser championship. In an attempt to reduce costs the Tasman Formula was extended to incorporate Formula 5000
Formula 5000
Formula 5000 was an open wheel, single seater auto-racing formula that ran in different series in various regions around the world from 1968 to 1982. It was originally intended as a low-cost series aimed at open-wheel racing cars that no longer fit into any particular formula...
cars from 1970 and the limit on pure racing engines was reduced from 2.5 litres to 2.0 litres from 1972. Even these changes failed to contain spiralling costs and at the end of the 1975 event the series folded.
The four Australian former Tasman races became the Rothmans International Series
Rothmans International Series
The Rothmans International Series was an Australian Formula 5000 motor racing series which ran from 1976 to 1979.-History:When the joint Australian-New Zealand open-wheeler series, the Tasman Series was discontinued after the 1975 series, the four Australian former Tasman races became the Rothmans...
from 1976 to 1979 (still under Formula 5000 regulations). The four New Zealand races became the 'Peter Stuyvesant Series' and after 1976 changed to Formula Pacific
Formula Pacific
Formula Pacific was a motor racing category which was utilised in the Pacific Basin area from 1977 to 1982. It specified a single-seat, open-wheeler chassis powered by a production-based four-cylinder engine of under 1600cc capacity. The formula was based on Formula Atlantic, with provision made...
.
Many high-profile local drivers from that era, such as Jack Brabham
Jack Brabham
Sir John Arthur "Jack" Brabham, AO, OBE is an Australian former racing driver who was Formula One champion in , and . He was a founder of the Brabham racing team and race car constructor that bore his name....
, Bruce McLaren
Bruce McLaren
Bruce Leslie McLaren , born in Auckland, New Zealand, was a race-car designer, driver, engineer and inventor....
, Chris Amon
Chris Amon
Christopher Arthur Amon MBE is a former motor racing driver. He was active in Formula One - racing in the 1960s and 1970s - and is widely regarded to be one of the best F1 drivers never to win a championship Grand Prix...
and Denny Hulme
Denny Hulme
Denis Clive "Denny" Hulme, OBE was a New Zealand racing driver, the 1967 Formula One World Champion for the Brabham team....
took part in their home event, but the series also attracted international F1 stars like Jim Clark
Jim Clark
James "Jim" Clark, Jr OBE was a British Formula One racing driver from Scotland, who won two World Championships, in 1963 and 1965....
, Graham Hill
Graham Hill
Norman Graham Hill was a British racing driver and two-time Formula One World Champion. He is the only driver to win the Triple Crown of Motorsport — the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Indianapolis 500 and Formula One World Championship.Graham Hill and his son Damon are the only father and son pair both to...
, Phil Hill
Phil Hill
Philip Toll Hill, Jr., was a United States automobile racer and the only American-born driver to win the Formula One World Drivers' Championship. Hill was described as a "thoughtful, gentle man" and once said, "I'm in the wrong business. I don't want to beat anybody, I don't want to be the big hero...
, Jochen Rindt
Jochen Rindt
Karl Jochen Rindt was a German racing driver who represented Austria during his career. He is the only driver to posthumously win the Formula One World Drivers' Championship , after being killed in practice for the Italian Grand Prix...
, Pedro Rodríguez
Pedro Rodriguez (racing driver)
Pedro Rodríguez was a Mexican Grand Prix motor racing driver. He was born in Mexico City and was the older brother of Ricardo Rodríguez.-Career:...
and Jackie Stewart
Jackie Stewart
Sir John Young Stewart, OBE , better known as Jackie Stewart, and nicknamed The Flying Scotsman, is a Scottish former racing driver and team owner. He competed in Formula One between 1965 and 1973, winning three World Drivers' Championships. He also competed in Can-Am...
, who travelled the long way from Europe.
For two brief years beginning in 1999 the Tasman Series was revived as a series for Formula Holden
Formula Holden
Formula Holden was an Australian open wheel racing category.-History:Known during its development as Formula Australia, it was initially for chassis constructed from aluminium only, running a 3.8 litre Buick V6 engine as it was then utilised in the new versions of the Holden Commodore...
racing cars with Simon Wills and Andy Booth winning the two series held exclusively in New Zealand.
Champions
| Season | Driver | Car | Wins | Podiums | Points | Margin (pnts) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 1964 Tasman Series The 1964 Tasman Series was the first Tasman Series season. It began on 4 January 1964 and ended on 2 March after eight races.The series was won by Bruce McLaren, the only one of the four race winning drivers who attended all eight races, a trifecta of wins in New Zealand setting up the... |
 Bruce McLarenBruce McLaren Bruce Leslie McLaren , born in Auckland, New Zealand, was a race-car designer, driver, engineer and inventor.... |
Cooper Cooper Car Company The Cooper Car Company was founded in 1946 by Charles Cooper and his son John Cooper. Together with John's boyhood friend, Eric Brandon, they began by building racing cars in Charles' small garage in Surbiton, Surrey, England in 1946... T70-Climax FPF |
3 | 5 (7) | 39 (47) | 6 |
| 1965 1965 Tasman Series The 1965 Tasman Series was the second Tasman Series season. It began on 9 January 1965 and ended on 1 March after seven races.-Races:- Standings :... |
 Jim ClarkJim Clark James "Jim" Clark, Jr OBE was a British Formula One racing driver from Scotland, who won two World Championships, in 1963 and 1965.... |
Lotus 32B Lotus 32 The Lotus 32 was a Formula 2 racing car built by Team Lotus in 1964. It was developed from the Lotus 27 Formula Junior model. 12 cars were produced, but only 4 competed in the Ron Harris Team Lotus entrants . Jim Clark drove the Lotus 32 to win the 1964 Formula 2 Championship... -Climax FPF |
3 (4) | 4 (5) | 35 (44) | 11 |
| 1966 1966 Tasman Series The 1966 Tasman Series was the third Tasman Series season. It began on 8 January 1966 and ended on 7 March after eight races.-Races:- Standings :... |
Jackie Stewart Jackie Stewart Sir John Young Stewart, OBE , better known as Jackie Stewart, and nicknamed The Flying Scotsman, is a Scottish former racing driver and team owner. He competed in Formula One between 1965 and 1973, winning three World Drivers' Championships. He also competed in Can-Am... |
BRM P261 BRM P261 The BRM P261, also known as the BRM P61 Mark II, is a Formula One motor racing car, designed and built by the British Racing Motors team in Bourne, Lincolnshire, England. The BRM P261 was introduced for the 1964 Formula One season, and its design was an evolution of Tony Rudd's one-off BRM P61 car of... |
4 | 5 | 45 | 15 |
| 1967 1967 Tasman Series The 1967 Tasman Series was the fourth Tasman Series season. It began on 7 January 1967 and ended on 6 March after eight races.-Races:Races with a pink background did not contribute to the points standings.- Standings :... |
Jim Clark Jim Clark James "Jim" Clark, Jr OBE was a British Formula One racing driver from Scotland, who won two World Championships, in 1963 and 1965.... |
Lotus 33 Lotus 33 The Lotus 33 designed by Colin Chapman, was a Formula One car built by Team Lotus. Its development was based on the earlier Lotus 25 model, taking the monocoque chassis design to new development heights. The 33 was again powered by the 1500 cc Climax engine. The 33 was almost identical to the 25,... -Climax FPF |
3 (5) | 6 (8) | 45 (63) | 27 |
| 1968 1968 Tasman Series The 1968 Tasman Series was the fifth Tasman Series season. It began on 6 January 1968 and ended on 4 March after eight races. It was won by Jim Clark, driving a Lotus 49T.-Races:- Standings :All scores from points-scoring races were counted... |
Jim Clark Jim Clark James "Jim" Clark, Jr OBE was a British Formula One racing driver from Scotland, who won two World Championships, in 1963 and 1965.... |
Lotus 49T Lotus 49 The Lotus 49 was a Formula One racing car designed by Colin Chapman and Maurice Philippe for the 1967 F1 season. It was designed around the Cosworth DFV engine that would power most of the Formula One grid through the 1970s and was the first successful Formula One car to feature the engine as a... -Cosworth DFW |
4 | 5 | 44 | 8 |
| 1969 1969 Tasman Series The 1969 Tasman Series was the sixth Tasman Series season. It commenced on 4 January 1969 and ended on 16 February 1969 after seven rounds. It was won by Chris Amon, driving a Ferrari 246T.-Results:-Races:- Standings :... |
Chris Amon Chris Amon Christopher Arthur Amon MBE is a former motor racing driver. He was active in Formula One - racing in the 1960s and 1970s - and is widely regarded to be one of the best F1 drivers never to win a championship Grand Prix... |
Ferrari Scuderia Ferrari Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing.... 246T Ferrari V6 |
4 | 6 | 44 | 14 |
| 1970 1970 Tasman Series The 1970 Tasman Series was the seventh in the series, beginning on 3 January and ending on 22 February after seven races. The series was won by Graeme Lawrence of New Zealand, driving the Ferrari 246T that fellow New Zealander Chris Amon raced to win the 1969 series.It was a transitional year, the... |
Graeme Lawrence Graeme Lawrence Graeme Lawrence is a former race car driver from New Zealand.Lawrence was the first New Zealander to win a race in the Tasman Series, in 1970. Although he won only the one race that year, he was Tasman Series champion, driving Chris Amon's old Ferrari 246T.... |
Ferrari Scuderia Ferrari Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing.... 246T Ferrari V6 |
1 | 5 | 30 | 5 |
| 1971 1971 Tasman Series The 1971 Tasman Series was the eighth in the series, beginning on 2 January and ending on 28 February after seven races. It was won by Graham McRae of New Zealand, driving a McLaren M10B Chevrolet.-Races:Additional information sourced from:... |
Graham McRae Graham McRae Graham McRae is a former racing driver from New Zealand.McRae's single outing in the Formula One World Championship was at the 1973 British Grand Prix on 14 July 1973, where he retired in the first lap... |
McLaren M10B-Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block... |
3 | 5 | 35 | 4 |
| 1972 1972 Tasman Series The 1972 Tasman Series was the ninth in the series, beginning on 8 January and ending on 27 February after eight races. The series was won by Graham McRae of New Zealand, driving a Leda GM1 Chevrolet.-Races:Additional information sourced from:... |
Graham McRae Graham McRae Graham McRae is a former racing driver from New Zealand.McRae's single outing in the Formula One World Championship was at the 1973 British Grand Prix on 14 July 1973, where he retired in the first lap... |
Leda GM1-Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block... |
4 | 4 | 39 | 11 |
| 1973 1973 Tasman Series The 1973 Tasman Series was the tenth in the series, beginning on 6 January and ending on 25 February after eight races. The series was won by Graham McRae of New Zealand, driving a McRae GM1 Chevrolet.-Races:Additional information sourced from:... |
Graham McRae Graham McRae Graham McRae is a former racing driver from New Zealand.McRae's single outing in the Formula One World Championship was at the 1973 British Grand Prix on 14 July 1973, where he retired in the first lap... |
McRae GM1-Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block... |
3 | 5 | 40 | 11 |
| 1974 1974 Tasman Series The 1974 Tasman Series was the eleventh in the series, beginning on 5 January and ending on 23 February after eight races. It was won by Peter Gethin of the United Kingdom, driving a Chevron B24 Chevrolet.-Races:Additional information sourced from:... |
Peter Gethin Peter Gethin Peter Kenneth Gethin is a former racing driver.He participated in 31 World Championship Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on 21 June 1970. He won the 1971 Italian Grand Prix in the fastest average speed in Formula One history , but this was his only podium finish... |
Chevron Chevron Cars Ltd Chevron Cars Ltd. is a manufacturer of racing cars, founded by Derek Bennett in 1965. Following Bennett's death in 1978, the firm has remained active in various guises. The original company's designs and name continue to be utilized by Roger Andreason to build replacement parts and continuation... B24-Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block... |
2 | 5 | 41 | 15 |
| 1975 1975 Tasman Series The 1975 Tasman Series was the twelfth and final in the series, beginning on 5 January and ending on 23 February after eight races.The series was won by Australian driver Warwick Brown in his fifth year of Formula 5000 racing with the Pat Burke Racing team, driving a Lola T332 Chevrolet... |
 Warwick BrownWarwick Brown Warwick Brown is a former racing driver from Australia.Brown participated in a single Formula One Grand Prix, on 10 October 1976. He drove a Williams-Wolf at the US GP and finished 14th.... |
Lola T332 Lola T332 The Lola T332 was a race car designed and built by Lola Cars for use in Formula 5000 racing and made its racing debut in 1973. Commonly using the 5.0L Chevrolet V8 engine, the T332 was successful around the globe with race victories in places such as Australia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and... -Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block... |
2 | 4 | 31 | 1 |
Note: values in parentheses include the results from all races, not all of which counted towards the championship.